Issues at the United Nations
Regional conflicts, fragile or collapsed states, armed conflicts, terrorism and organized crime – all have grave consequences for the people who suffer under them. They also threaten the security and stability of entire regions and peoples.
Peace and Security
Disarmament and arms control are central elements of the global security architecture. They are not concerns of the past, rather, pressing challenges of the present and of the future. Disarmament is a multilateral process which creates trust between states – and is, at the same time, a central mission of the United Nations.
Disarmament, Arms Control and Non-Proliferation
Respect for and expansion of human rights is a central focus of the policies of the German Government German human rights policy in international relations follows a concrete obligation:
International Law and Human Rights
More than one billion people in the world – almost one in five – have to live on less than 1.25 US dollars per day. Every day thousands of young children die of hunger and illnesses, through violence and wars. Poverty leads to resource allocation conflicts and displacement of refugees,
Development and Poverty Reduction
Natural catastrophes and military conflicts have, in recent years, led to a steady increase in the number of people around the world who are dependent upon humanitarian assistance. A functioning international humanitarian system is therefore gaining ever greater importance.
Humanitarian Aid
Many environmental problems cross national borders and can only be overcome through international cooperation. International climate- and environmental policy encompasses a multitude of topics:
Environment and Climate Change
The United Nations is a product of its times: founded in the wake of the two disastrous world wars of the previous century. Its organs and modes of functioning reflect the political balances of power and peace-building moral concepts of that era.
Reform of the United Nations
